I was running a lashup of 2- RS1, 2- RS3 and an RSD4 this weekend when one of the RS1 started skipping and clicking. I removed the unit and sure as stuff a cracked axle gear. I went through this with P2K and Athearn but now Atlas also? Anyone else crack an Atlas axle gear? I wonder if an Athearn gear will work. I still have a few of them left.
Some of the locos in the lashup are the old Japanese drives that have to be going on 20 years and still going strong. I also converted a P2K FA1 with a set of trucks from a 30 year old Athearn rubber tube drive from and old F unit. Those trucks are great. Its amazing how some people will pick out the FA with EMD trucks.
I have not had that problem. But I will say, it is surprising how many popular lubricants are not compatible with all plastics. I have taken to posting a warning chart about the various Labelle and other lubricants at the workbench. I am not blaming lubricants for your problem by any means but it is not an impossible cause.
My oldest Atlas is only 17 years old, but no problems. I also went through the P2K mess and had 4 or 5 locos I had to repair.
Normally if it’s a mfg defect it will show up pretty quickly–within a year or so. Plastics like all other mfg product vary widely in specifications and quality related to those specs. Plastics will degrade over time, some more quickly than others. Temperature swings, chemicals(cleaners and lubricants), shock(dropping, quick start with heavy load), vibration, UV(you’d be surprised how even in the shade this can be a problem) and dirt are just some of the factors which help the plastic breakdown/wear faster.
NWSL may have some help for you if you don’t have the gears
Pete,I’m not to sure what causes the crack gear issues on the P2K geeps I had…Never had that problem with Athearn or Atlas-yet.
I did have a problem with a Atlas N Scale GP9 at full throttle it moved extremely slow.I took the engine apart eyeballed everything and reassemble the engine and it ran as a Atlas should…
Seems to me there’s a lot of QC problems coming out of China regardless of the manufacturer.[sigh]
I had a P2K diesel AB set on the shelf for 2 years. They ran perfect before I stored them. Took them out and ran them and it was hop hop hop down the bunny trail. More than half the axles had cracked just from sitting (normal indoor temps year round). Was it LaBelle grease? I’m freaking out here. I use #106 with teflon, “safe to use on plastic”, on all my locos.#### Rob
The Atlas and Athearn gears are not interchangable, but you can get the gears from Atlas, just call them up. http://www.atlasrr.com/hoparts.htm
The Proto gears could shrink over time causing the cracking (depended on the batch of Delrin). LaBelle lubricants are not likely the cause as they are plastic compatable, I’ve been using LaBelle grease and oils for over 20 years without any issues.
I had that problem back in the 80’s with a brand new Proto 2000 N Scale SD7. Even at full power it would hardly move. Took it apart and found that the motor wasn’t straight. This caused the drive shaft to rub against the shell. Turned the motor straight and checked it with the shell on. It ran perfect. Took the shell back off and anchored the motor in place with a couple of drops of super glue gel. Didn’t have a problem with it after that.
I emailed Atlas and got a response. The wheel sets with gear are $1.50 each. The next question is how many should I order? Right now its one axle. How long will it be before another and another. $6.00 for one loco. The RS3 and RS1 share the same wheel sets. That makes 4 locos total with 4 wheel sets each of the Chinese models.
Pete, I’ve been a big fan of Atlas locomotives for quite a while now. They’ve always been the quietest and smoothest runners I own, with maybe the exception of one Kato. But the last engine I purchased, a U23B, DCC and sound, has a problem. It’s not making the clicking sound normally associated with the axle/gear problem, but a kind of high pitched whine coming from the front end, much like my P2K GP-30 which makes the same sound only much louder. I replaced all the axles on that unit but it still makes the noise.
I guess I was due for a bad Atlas. Both of them, the Atlas and the P2K , run very, very well though.
Just a comment. A few years ago I bought a couple of HO Kato SD40-2, mid production models and was extremely impressed with their reliability and operation. So much so I have been buying them at reduced prices from various sources. Now have 40 of them with another on order. I can state, without doubt that on my railroad, they are the smoothest and most dependable. Darn Kato for stopping HO production…
My roster includes many Atlas models in multiple, a few Athearn, Genesis and a fewer amount of P2K. The Atlas and Kato’s are by far the favorites.